Break for Aust. cricketers

Press, 6 January 1987, Page 21

Break for Aust. cricketers

NZPA-AAP Perth The Australian team will have a three-day break from practice in a bid to be fresh for the final Ashes test after a miserable week of one-day cricket competition at Perth. The Australian cricket manager, Bob Simpson, said after Sunday’s mauling at the hands of the West Indies that the players would not be required to practise until Thursday, only two days before the start of the fifth test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Benson and Hedges Challenge was a disaster for Australia and although the loss to the West Indies was in a match of no consequence, the 164-run defeat was a shattering blow with the World Series Cup only a fortnight away. * The West Indies, fired up by the losses to Pakistan and England which put them out

of the Challenge final, achieved a formidable total of 255 in spite of only two individual scores above 20.

That total was always going to be way out of the reach of the Australians on a wicket giving the pace bowlers plenty of encouragement. Joel Garner, Tony Gray, Michael Holding and Courtney Walsh bowled short and fast and only Steve Waugh of the Australian batsmen could find any answer to them. Waugh played delightfully for his 29, an innings which earned him Holding’s congratulations as he left the field after his 47-ball stay.

None of the other batsmen could reach double figures and the progression of David

Boon’s run of failures almost certainly will cost him his spot in the fifth test team. The South Australian, Glenn Bishop, brought in for the Challenge as the third opener, was unimpressive in his two matches and the New South Wales opener, Mark Taylor, could be a surprise test inclusion on his home ground.

Two others in the test 12 under pressure for their spots who played at Perth, the fast bowler, Craig McDermott, and the all-rounder, Greg Matthews, each played only one match in the series. Matthews did not bowl against Pakistan and came in when slogging was necessary in the final few overs, only to fall cheaolv.